Oregon climate activists are organizing a referendum to write environmental rights into the state constitution.
The effort is backed by Our Children’s Trust, the nonprofit law firm that has litigated pioneering youth climate lawsuits against the U.S. and state governments. Those cases include a successful lawsuit against Montana and a settlement with Hawaii, both in 2024, based on those states’ constitutional protections for environmental rights.
Supporters say adopting a so-called Green Amendment in Oregon would do more to cut emissions than any other single policy, because it would shift the state’s entire legal and regulatory regime toward stronger environmental protections. By trying to pass the amendment through a statewide vote, advocates aim to signal public demand for climate action that they hope will pressure both elected officials and judges alike.
The proposed amendment would guarantee all people, including future generations, the right to a clean environment and a stable climate, which could not be abridged “unless justified by a compelling state interest achieved by the means least restrictive of the right.”
